Julep Black Friday Picks December 2016 Review

Julep is a nail polish and makeup brand based out of Seattle. They do have a subscription service, for $24.99 /month which includes over $40 worth of new beauty innovations and/or limited-run nail colors. Or,  you can pick the Maven Luxe option, which includes $60 of product each month. You can accept their picks for you, or you can log in and make changes. You also have the option to skip months, which I think is a real benefit of this box. K was a subscriber for quite awhile, but has taken a break recently.

Cost: $24.99/Month, or Maven Luxe $39.99/Month

How Often: Monthly, or skip any months you wish to

Ships to: United States, United States Minor Outlying Islands, and Canada.

 

This post is covering items we picked up during Black Friday sales, and not for the monthly subscription box.

 We picked enough items to create an equivalent sized sub box.

Dashing Mini Lipstick Trio - $40. We paid $14.99. The colors are great, the formula is smooth, and they are subtle enough to work well with daytime.
Belle: Sheer blush pink
Wink: Sheer peach
Jinx: Sheer dusty rose

Brilliance Glycolic Hand + Body Scrub - $32. We paid $9.99. I've received this stuff before and it's great, and frankly it's what I was looking for when I decided to check out their sales. A dual-action exfoliating scrub made from natural apricot seed microbeads and a potent concentration of glycolic acid that instantly reveals brighter, smoother skin. I use it for hands, and had never considered it could be good for body exfoliation as well. Good to know.

Cheyenne Bombshell Nail Color - $14.99. We paid $4.99. This color is so pretty. I really do like Julep nail polish, so I had to grab a couple.

Beatrice It Girl Nail Polish - $14.99. We paid $2. This color is much darker than it shows online, which surprised me, but it is still pretty.

Get In Line Invisible Lip Liner - $16. We paid $4.99. This lip liner is supposed to be invisible. Which means when your lip color wears off, you should not be left with the "ring around the lips" awfulness. That's pretty much the only reason I was willing to try this. Otherwise, I normally am not a fan of lip liners for this reason. So, hoping this works.

When Pencil Met Gal Rich Brown Eyeliner - $16. We actually paid full price for this. I don't know if you've ever tried Julep Eyeliners, but they have quickly become my favorite. They glide on easily and are blend exactly as you want them to. You can make the line as thick/thin as you are looking for.

We are impressed with our Julep haul. We got a good number of products worth $149.98, and yet we paid only $68.96. We look forward to trying more of their makeup line, and of course new nail colors, so we will definitely for sure be keeping our eye on next years sales as well!

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Beauty Fix December 2016 Review

Beauty Fix - is a monthly beauty and makeup subscription box service from DermStore.com. You will receive full and travel size items worth at least $100. They send items from well known brands. All items are sold on their website. you generally get a coupon each month as well. If you are interested, contact us and we can send you an email link that will get you $10 towards your account. Cost: $24.95/month
How Often: Monthly
Ships To: United States via USPS

 The info cards are great, double sided, and tell about the selections for this months curation.

Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Miracle Multiplying Volume Mist - 1.4 oz, $8.15. I do like Alterna Caviar hair products, and I've never tried this, so this is great.

DHC Velvet Skin Coat – .18 oz, $7.50. It took me a minute to figure out what this was, but it's a makeup primer. It "blurs" imperfections and makes your makup go on smoother. I can't wait to try it, but I do wish this was a larger sample. Either way, I'll probably throw in my travel bag.

Ren Evercalm Global Protection Day Cream – 15 ml, $13.50. This cream is good for sensitive skin. This brand has good ingredients and free of bad stuff.

Dermalogica Charcoal Rescue Masque – 22 ml, $13.80. I love getting charcoal masks, and this is a good trusted brand so I'm happy to see this. Just leave on for about 10 minutes and then rinse.

Glytone Mild Cream Cleanser – 1 oz, $6. Basic face cleanser. I'm really surprised at the mix of products this month, this was a great addition.

Danielle Creations 24K Gold Plated Nail Clipper – $9. LOVE! Who can't use new nail clippers? I LOVE the gold color. These are just so pretty. Totally love!

Color Wow Kale Cocktail Bionic Tonic – FULL SIZE, $24. My bottle did not stay sealed during transit, and leaked randomly, but the product seems to be ok. This is basically a leave in lotion for hair. It's good for detangling and strengthening. Made for colored hair.

Nuxe Multi-Purpose Dry Oil – .33 oz, $7.40. I've received this a few times over the years, but I've never actually tried. I do plan to keep this time. I hear it does not stay as shimmery as it is in the bottle, just adds a little shine, so that makes me more likely to want to use it.

Kevyn Aucoin The Sensual Lip Satin in Velvet – FULL SIZE, $48. Who doesn't love getting a Kevyn Aucoin product? The color is beautiful. It's a glossy stain and works great.

Dermelect Me Nail Polish in Kiss Me – FULL SIZE, $14. There were various colors sent out, and I love the one I received. I am unfamiliar with this brand, so I'll have to see how it works. 

This months Beauty Fix has an approximate value of $151.35. I think this may be one of my favorite Beauty Fix boxes. I am always amazed at the number of products included, and this month was no exception. The value is consistently good, but this month is pretty darn great. I am more happy with the type of items included, and color variations I received were a good match for me.

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Ipsy Glam Bag December 2016 Review

*this post may contain affiliate links*

Ipsy – is a beauty subscription box created by Michelle Phan. They send a mix of deluxe samples and full size beauty products, and a makeup bag. You take a beauty quiz and should receive items that match your profile. This is very similar to Birchbox, and an excellent way to build up your inventory and try out different brands before investing in a full size purchase.

Cost: $10
How Often: Monthly
Ships To: United States & Canada via USPS and DH

This months bag was pretty, but definitely furry. I like the Holiday pink color. The theme this month is Carpe PM! Seize the night?

Benefit Porefessional - .1 oz - $4.13. This is a great primer, I've received this many many times in sub boxes. I really like getting Benefit products.

Josie Maran Argan Enlightenment Illuminizer - .23 oz, $11.96. This is nice to have included, helps add a little shimmer, which is great during the drying months.

Ciate London Liquid Velvet in Pin Up - 2 ml, $6.09. This is a universally flattering berry color and is very pretty.

Cake Heavy Cream Intensive Hand Repair Balm - 1 oz, $6.47. This smells amazing!!! It has a vanilla smell and really does smell like cake! LOVE!!

REN Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask - Glycol Lactic Masque - .5 oz, $16.18. This is a face mask that you leave on for 10 minutes, then wipe off and rinse.
This months Ipsy has an approximate value of $44.83. I'm very happy with the product selection and I'll use everything that was in the bag this month.
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Allure Beauty Box December 2016 Review

Allure Beauty Box (formerly Sample Society) - is curated by the editors of the Allure Magazine. It promises 5 deluxe sizes “expert approved” beauty items from luxurious brands. It comes with a great info card "mini magazine" that tells you why they picked what they picked, how to use it, and why they like it.
Cost: $15/month or $165/Annually
How Often: Monthly
Ships To: United States (excluding Alaska and Hawaii) via UPS Ground

TULA Advanced Neck Cream - .5 oz,  $23.53. This is a rich hydrating cream for your neck. It's nice and something we rarely seen in subscription boxes. Allure reminds us it is not necessary to have a separate cream for your neck, but having one makes you more likely to use it for this area. I gotta agree with that.

Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentrate - .17 oz, $ 5.51. This is a face moisturizer. This month is all about hydration, especially due to the harsh cold weather we are experiencing.

Beauty Blender Liquid BlenderCleanser - $3.60. I'm estimating this is about 1oz. I've never used the liquid version before, but I have received the solid bar a couple of times. It seems like I would go through this one much faster. Also, and I know this is terrible, I've been known to just throw my beauty blender right into the washer/dryer.

Skinceuticals Blemish + Age defense $22.50. I'm estimating this is .25 oz. I love this brand and will never be disappointed to see any of their line.

Coastal Salt & Soul Heavenly hand Cream in Mediterranean Citrus - 1 oz - $10.0 I like that a rich hand cream was included. This has Shea Butter, Avocado Oil, Jojoba Oil, and Cucumber & Aloe Vera Extracts. Sounds like a winning combo to me.

This months box has an estimated value of $65.14. I am definitely estimating as a couple of the sizes were just best guesses. This months box really reflected the theme of hydration, which is great for this time of year.
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Glossybox December 2016 Review

GlossyBox - is a beauty subscription box that sends five products each month. There are a lot of brands that you cannot get here in the US. They send makeup, skincare, beauty tools, and other related items. They have a great rewards program that allows you to get a free box annually, and more often if you refer friends.
Cost: $21/month or $222/annually
How Often: Monthly
Ships To: United States (excludes Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico) and Canada via USPS.

This months Holiday themed box is soo pretty! The pics do not do it justice. And I love that the theme followed onto the matching info booklet that was included.

Harajuku Lover Pop Electric eau de parfum spray by Gwen Stefani in MUSIC - .50 fl oz - $20. This is a super cute bottle, I'm just not big on fragrance. Still, I LOVE that this was included, way to go GlossyBox! A fresh, aquatic fragrance with dry down of sun-wrenched woods.

MDMflow Semi-Matte Lipstick in Bossy - .13 oz - est $18. This is supposed to be a highly pigmented color that also keeps lips hydrated, infused with conditioning pomegranate seed oil for a semi-matte finish that is soft and creamy. I like the gold casing, unfortunately, mine arrived broken and the lipstick will be unable to close again.

MeMeMe Beat the Blues Skin Illuminator - $6.59. At first I thought this was a nail polish, but it is really an illuminator. It's a liquid highlighter, so it's super light.

Vichy Liftactiv Retinol HA Eyes - FULL SIZE - $43. This is an anti-wrinkle eye treatment. The tip included says to add to your eyelids as well, not just under the eyes. I really like Vichy products so I'm happy this was included.

Luxie Beauty Onyx Noir Small Tapered Blending Brush 231 - $16. I love Luxie brushes, and this is no exception! All Luxie brushes are vegan, cruelty-free and hypoallergenic.

Some of the prices were hard to get, because of the sizes received and not being able to find the item online in US stores/dollars. But I have pretty much calculated a US value of $103.59, which is pretty good. I love the Harajuku perfume was included. How cute is that bottle?

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PopSugar Must Have Mini Box December 2016 Review

PopSugar MINI Must Have Box  is the mini version of the full size box. It will include two full size items each month. The items will be different than what is included in the full size box. You are guaranteed to receive two (2) full size items worth over $30.
Cost: $18.95
How Often: Monthly
Ships To: United States via USPS and FedEx

 PS always includes an info card that describes the products.

Yellow Owl Workshop Festive Stamp Kit - $19.50. These stamps are cute. I have zero use for them, so these are getting traded for sure. There is a tip that you can use plain paper and stamp it then create your own wrapping paper.

Smith & Cult Nail Polish in 1972 - $18. This is Rose Gold, I love this nail polish. I knew about this ahead of time, and thought it would be more pink colored, like Rose, but I still love it. It has gold flakes in it. The tip included says to submerge your nails in ice-cold water to help dry faster.

This months box has a value of $37.50. I am thrilled with the nail polish which covers the cost of the box.

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Too Faced Mystery Grab Bag 2016

The Too Faced Mystery Grab goes on sale once a year, during Cyber Monday. I stayed up to get mine, and they sold out quickly so I'm really glad I did. The cost was $39, with a guaranteed value of $115. Since this is one of my favorite brands, I had to have one!

  My box was pretty beat up this year, lol. I also picked up a couple more items due to the sale.

 But first, let's take a look at the Mystery Bag. This came in the same pink bag as last years.

Melted Liquified Longwear Lipstick in Melted Frosting – FULL SIZE - $21. This is a pretty pink color. I like the liquid lipsticks.

Bulletproof 24 Hour Eyeliner – FULL SIZE - $22. The color was black. This has a nice smudger on one end. I only wish they had sent Brown instead of Black, but I do understand black is the most popular color and most people prefer to receive that.

Better than Sex Mascara - $14.48. This is the best mascara ever invented. Ever. I will never tire of receiving this. Thank you Too Faced!!! For both sending and inventing! This is currently sold out online. Which is not surprising, but they need to get stocked back up. ASAP.

Glitter Glue (Travel Size) - $9.71. This helps seal your shadow, but especially seal your glitter so that it stays on your eyes. You can use over or under shadow.

Better Than Sex Mascara in Purple (Travel Size) - $14.48. At first I thought they sent us two of these mascaras, but then I realized one is purple. This is part of the collaboration with Nikki Tutorials. I'm estimating the price to be the same as the regular black one. I don't wear purple mascara but I'm sure the formula is just as great as alwys.

CatEyes Eye Shadow Palette – FULL SIZE $36. I knew we were guaranteed to get an eye kit, but I thought with the purple shadow we would be getting the collaboration with Nikki Tutorials. This is really pretty, and I'm guessing is good for the cat eye look.

This is a pic of everything included in the Too Faced Mystery Grab. This has an approximate value of $117.99, which matches what was promised. I had to get a few more items because I wanted them.

Cocoa Powder Foundation - $34. I was ready to get some new powder, and I really love this stuff.

Perfect Eyes Eyeliner  - $18. I needed an eyeliner and I have actually never tried this brand eyeliner, so I'm happy to give it a go.

Deluxe La Creme in Naked Dolly - This was a free sample that was included. This is said to be like a satin pink, but the color looks more nude to me.

Hangover Primer - This sample was also included. And a 20% off coupon for the next order.

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